Highlights of the April 8 Lincoln Board of Education regular meeting

April 8, 2025

The Lincoln Board of Education met for its regular meeting on Tuesday, April 8, at 6:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Public Schools Steve Joel District Leadership Center, 5905 O Street. 

Special reports, presentations and celebrations of success

Amy Kinnett - Dawes Middle School

Dawes Middle School sixth grade math teacher Amy Kinnett was recently awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) by the National Science Foundation. The PAEMST program, administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, recognizes outstanding teachers for their contributions to the teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Progress Report: 2024-25 Board of Education and superintendent annual goals and priorities

Annually, the Board of Education evaluates the Superintendent and develops Annual Priorities for the Superintendent for the coming school year. The priorities established for the 2024-25 school year were adopted by the Board on Sept. 24, 2025.

Interim Superintendent John Skretta and the associate superintendents provided an update on the 2024-2029 LPS Strategic Plan. 

The strategic plan was adopted by the Board during the Feb. 27, 2024 meeting. The four identified priorities are Student Wellbeing and Outcomes, Staff Wellbeing and Outcomes, Family and Community Engagement and District Systems and Operations. During Tuesday’s presentation, the executive team provided an overview of strategies and action steps identified to help achieve the measurable goals. 

Highlights of the strategies for each of the measurable goals included:

Student Wellbeing and Outcomes

Challenging and appropriate instruction with a strong foundation in literacy and diverse pathways to graduation.

Measurable Goals

• Measurable Goal 1: By June 2029, raise the LPS district on-time graduation rate to 87.0%, with a focus on reducing existing differentials between student groups.
• Measurable Goal 2: By June 2029, LPS will see a 3% increase in percentile rank in both Math and ELA for ALL student groups on nationally normed assessments.
• Measurable Goal 3: By June 2029, increase district enrollment in honors courses for all students with additional emphasis on historically underrepresented student groups by reducing disproportionality in course enrollment by 50%.

Strategies

• Strategy 1: Ensure all students are cognitively engaged and challenged through the use of effective instructional practices and academic supports.
• Strategy 2: Examine the pathways, hurdles, and opportunities for students to reach graduation.

Intentional supports and relationships for ALL students focused on positive behavior to build strong and safe school communities.

Measurable Goals

• Measurable Goal 4: By June of 2029, increase the percentage of early childhood students who meet or exceed age expectations by 5% in each developmental area, as measured on the nationally normed GOLD assessment.
• Measurable Goal 5: By June 2029, reduce total suspensions for all students by 20%.
• Measurable Goal 6: By June 2029, reduce suspension disproportionality ratios to 1.2 or less for all student groups.
• Measurable Goal 7: By June 2029, students who report feeling that they have a sense of belonging at school will increase 10% from the baseline measure taken in 2024, and the gaps in positive belonging perception reported by demographic groups will narrow by 5%.

Strategies

• Strategy 3: Implement a district-wide behavior framework grounded in strategies that are evidence based, trauma informed and focused on prevention, accountability and restorative practices.
• Strategy 4: Identify and develop resources that address barriers to regular attendance and support students who experience mobility.
• Strategy 5: Increase opportunities to provide families with access to high quality early childhood educational programming.

Staff Wellbeing and Outcomes

Support and empowerment for diverse staff who meet the changing needs of ALL students.

Measurable Goals

• Measurable Goal 1: By June 2029, increase the percentage of all employee groups from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds to at least 8.5% of the total staff.
• Measurable Goal 2: By June 2029, increase the retention rate for LPS certified staff positions by 2%.
• Measurable Goal 3: By June 2029, ensure that the average compensation and benefits of LPS classified staff will be competitive with similar positions based on market analysis.
• Measurable Goal 4: By June 2029, increase the proportion of staff members who report feeling a sense of belonging by 2%.

Strategies

• Strategy 1: Expand, strengthen, and align district Grow Our Own efforts.
• Strategy 2: Strengthen staff wellness and retention efforts to include classified and certified staff.
• Strategy 3: Refine and align recruitment/hiring initiatives.
• Strategy 4: Provide staff preparation and feedback through professional development.

Family and Community Engagement

Outreach that welcomes families and community members as partners in supporting the success of ALL students.

Measurable Goals

• Measurable Goal 1: By June of 2029, parents and families who report having opportunities to be involved in school activities will increase from 91% to 93%, and the gap in positive perception reported by demographic groups will narrow by 5%.
• Measurable Goal 2: By June of 2029, parents and families who report that staff builds positive relationships will increase from 86% to 88%, and the gap in positive perception reported by demographic groups will narrow by 5%.
• Measurable Goal 3: By June of 2029, community members who report having opportunities to be involved in school activities or partnerships will increase 10%, and the gap in positive perception reported by demographic groups will narrow by 5%.

Strategies

• Strategy 1: Promote school activities engagement at the middle level to foster earlier school connectedness, promoting increasing activities participation.
• Strategy 2: Capitalize on existing efforts building-level within early childhood, School Improvement process, Title I Parental Engagement, and CLCs to continue to foster positive relationships with parents and families.
• Strategy 3: Align district communications and community partnerships to elevate awareness and enhance positive public engagement.
• Strategy 4: Deliberate engagement with our communities of diversity.
• Strategy 5: School activities and student involvement.

District Systems and Operations

District systems that continue to direct resources based on student needs.

Measurable Goals

• Measurable Goal 1: By June 2029, review, analyze, and verify that 100% of schools have resources aligned to identified student need, based on available funding.
• Measurable Goal 2: By June 2029, increase the percentage of staff and families who feel that district systems and operations are transparent.
• Measurable Goal 3: By June 2029, adopt an updated 10-Year Facilities and Infrastructure Plan and identify available resources for implementation.

Strategies

• Strategy 1: Develop resources to generate understanding of the district staffing formula and internal resource distributions.
• Strategy 2.1: Align the annual budget process with the strategic plan priority areas  and  goals.
• Strategy 2.2: Enhance  the community input opportunities in the budget development process.
• Strategy 2.3: Invest in programming aligned with student needs.
• Strategy 2.4: Generate a better understanding of the TMA system and provide opportunities for feedback to make improvements.
• Strategy 3.1: Update the 10-Year Facility and Infrastructure Plan and identify potential funding sources.

Next steps include continuing to collect and review data. The District Perception Survey is currently open for staff, students and families to complete. Families are encouraged to fill out their survey by April 11 to help with these efforts.

First reading

Newly Annexed Property to the City of Lincoln

The Board of Education assigns school attendance areas to property newly annexed to the City of Lincoln. This action establishes school attendance areas prior to the sale of residential lots, allowing purchasers to know what schools their children will attend.

The proposal assigns the newly annexed area of Wandering Creek to Maxey Elementary School, Lux Middle School, and East High School. The proposal also assigns the newly annexed area of South 84th Street and Rokeby Road. to Wysong Elementary School, Moore Middle School, and Standing Bear High School.

The Board will hold a second reading and vote on the assignments at the next meeting.

Tuition charges for 2025-2026

Each year, the Business Affairs Office makes recommendations to the Board of Education for tuition charges for regular and Special Education programs.  This is done in accordance with Policy 3300 and Regulation 3300.1. This is not paid by individuals, but by other school districts who are sending their students to Lincoln Public Schools for services.

The proposed rates for 2025-2026 include:

• Grades K-6: $68.57 per day or $12,000 per year
• Grades 7-8: $82.29 per day or $14,400 per year
• Grades 9-12: $96.00 per day or $16,800 per year

The Board will hold a second reading and vote at the next regular meeting on tuition charges.

Title VI Indian Education Program update

American Indian students are enrolled in all Lincoln Public Schools representing about 80 tribes as designated by the parent. 

The U.S. Department of Education, through Title VI of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides funds to fulfill the federal government’s responsibility to the Indian people for the education of Indian children. These funds support LPS efforts in creating and executing educational programs and culturally relevant activities to empower every American Indian student to achieve their highest academic potential.

Lincoln Public Schools has received federal funds for services for American Indian students since the mid-1980’s. Grant award amounts vary by year according to the total amount of Indian Education funds available at the federal level and are not based only on the number of students per program.

Estimated funding from Title VI for 2025-2026 is approximately $203,070, and is based on the current student count of 752. Decisions regarding the use of these funds are made in consultation with the American Indian Advisory Committee.

You can view a highlight of the presentation here. The Board will hold a second reading and vote on the grant application at the next meeting.

Computer laptops for certificated staff

The CLASS Technology Plan articulates a cascading six-year life cycle and resale of computers provided to certificated staff. Those on a six-year life cycle are used by certificated staff for the first three years, followed by an additional three years in middle school computer labs. The balance of the computers are resold to provide needed revenue to fund future purchases as part of the CLASS plan. 

It is recommended that the Board award $3,406,125 to Apple for the purchase of 3,875 laptop computers that will be deployed to certificated staff during the 2025-2026 school year.

Due to purchasing timelines, the Board waived second reading and voted to approve the bid.

Second reading

Cisco Webex calling

LPS has worked with Cisco Voice over IP solutions since 2001 with the server infrastructure on premises. The proposed five-year contract would move all services to Cisco Webex Cloud. This solution offers LPS a more flexible, cost-effective and scalable communication system compared to traditional on-premise phone systems. Regular software updates and built-in security measures ensure the system remains reliable, up-to-date and protected.

The contract includes all necessary services for a phone system:  call handling, call routing, call analytics, voicemail, E911 service and remote client service through staff computers or mobile devices.

It is recommended that the Board award the five-year contract for $1,525,064.50 to OneNeck IT Solutions. The Board held a second reading and voted to approve the contract.

Promoting Engagement and Knowledge (PEaK Project) grant application

The LPS Special Education department will once again apply for Promoting Engagement and Knowledge (PEaK) grant funding through the Nebraska Department of Education Office of Special Education. 

NDE began making these grants available annually during the 2018-2019 school year. These funds are intended to support school districts’ work to improve academic outcomes for students with disabilities. 

LPS has previously received PEaK grant funding to help provide high-quality intervention materials, professional learning opportunities, and instructional coaching in the areas of math and literacy instruction. PEaK funds would be used to continue this work for the 2025-2026 school year, pending Board and NDE approval. 

The Board held a second reading and voted to approve the grant application.

Informational items and reports

Board updates

Board President Dr. Bob Rauner provided information about measles outbreaks happening in Kansas, Colorado and Texas where there was a second death of a child. He said that an unvaccinated child who is exposed to measles could three weeks later test positive for measles and can be infectious for four days before exhibiting symptoms therefore exposing other unvaccinated children in school.

“It’s important to note that 90% of those children who are not immunized will develop measles in three weeks. What then happens is any one of those children who are not immunized will have to stay home for three weeks,” added Rauner. 

Rauner encouraged families to speak with their healthcare providers to learn more about measles vaccines and older adults about booster shots.

Superintendent update

Interim Superintendent John Skretta gave an update to the Board, starting with highlighting the many ways the Board is committed to Civic and Community Engagement. Six board members traveled to the National School Boards Association conference last week. Board members Barb Baier and Kathy Danek joined Community Learning Centers Director Nola Bennett in presenting about the work happening in Lincoln CLCs.

Public comment

There were no individuals that addressed the Board during the public comment period.

Glimpses of LPS

We open every Board meeting with a video that highlights LPS. Tuesday’s Glimpses featured the latest in the Classroom Calling series highlighting the work of Trey Anderson at Lincoln High School. 

---